1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle provided with an open roof construction that allows opening of the vehicle roof.
2. Description of Related Art
An increasing percentage of car buyers want a sliding roof with a large slide opening and/or a large glass surface.
For instance, the published German Patent Application 38 02 380 shows a vehicle roof having a large roof opening which can be covered by two roof panels positioned one behind the other. The rear panel can be removed after unlocking it and the front panel can first be tilted in the manner of a so-called spoiler roof such that front panel is first tilted so that the rear edge is raised, and then can be slid backwards.
The published German Utility Model 29 512 643 shows a vehicle having a spoiler roof consisting of two panels which are positioned one behind the other and are slidable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The spoiler roof includes a means for pivoting the panels upwards into the ventilation position and for moving them in the opposite direction into the closed position.
These known constructions do not have a roof cross-member which greatly increases the safety of the occupants in the event of a collision. While it is true that such a roof cross-member fitted between the B-pillars of the body of a vehicle are known in conventional vehicles having a small roof opening, such roof cross-member would have to be removed if the abovementioned vehicle roof construction is to be used. However, such removal of a roof cross-member is not desirable since the sliding roof construction does not provide the same level of safety to the vehicle occupants as the roof cross-member.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle with an open roof construction which improves the safety of the occupants over prior art vehicles having open roof constructions.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle with an open roof construction includes a center bar which increases safety of the vehicle occupants and is adapted to be fitted with accessories for the vehicle. In this regard, the center bar is fixed to the body of the vehicle such as the vehicle""s top section in the mid region of the roof opening. The center bar may also be accessible from the interior of the vehicle and can be provided with numerous vehicle accessories housed thereon.
The center bar can thus, replace the center cross-member which may be provided in standard vehicles, such cross-members being removed to provide a large open roof construction.
Preferably, the center bar may be fixed to the vehicle body using fixing brackets.
If the open roof construction is provided with a frame that delimits the edges of the roof opening, the ends of the center bar can alternatively be fixed to the frame.
The center bar can serve to house a wide variety of accessories, such as two roller sun blinds, one that can be moved forward from the center bar and one that can be moved to the rear from the center bar into the working position, storage compartments and light fittings.
Vents may be provided, as well as light fittings, at the rear edge of the rear panel.
Movement of the front panel can be implemented in various ways. Preferably, the front panel is adapted to slide over the rear panel following a lifting movement.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.